Nord User Forum

Can anyone confirm that despite of the expanded effect options in the NS4, it is still not possible to use the tremolo and the pan effect at the same time for one EPiano sound ?

It's either tremolo or auto-pan, not both. Also, it's chorus or phaser but not both.

However, two instances of the same E piano sample can one of each effect.

cphollis wrote: 02 Feb 2025, 19:40 It's either tremolo or auto-pan, not both. Also, it's chorus or phaser but not both.

However, two instances of the same E piano sample can one of each effect.

THX for response...


It's actually hard to believe that a stage piano that costs more than USD 5.000,- doesn't allow a simple effect chain of tremolo and auto-pan or chorus and phaser....

Wolfgang T wrote: 02 Feb 2025, 20:13

cphollis wrote: 02 Feb 2025, 19:40 It's either tremolo or auto-pan, not both. Also, it's chorus or phaser but not both.

However, two instances of the same E piano sample can one of each effect.

THX for response...


It's actually hard to believe that a stage piano that costs more than USD 5.000,- doesn't allow a simple effect chain of tremolo and auto-pan or chorus and phaser....

Every single keyboard ever built is a trade-off of features — a compromise built around feature sets, hardware, budget, and priorities.

This is the hallmark of Nord machines: they trade ease-of-use and full front panel control for relative complexity.

You can go the other way to get a Kronos.

I find their choices rather sensible — the combinations they have grouped in a single block are unlikely to be used at the same time: an auto-pan IS a (stereo) tremolo, so using both is very unlikely. A phaser and a chorus are pretty much mutually exclusive in practice. Etc.

Which is not to say I don't understand, or that I haven't had to make hard decisions or build workarounds on my own Stage 3 because of this. I can see how it would be useful to have a fast tremolo sound slowly moving through the stereo field.

analogika wrote: 05 Feb 2025, 17:15

Which is not to say I don't understand, or that I haven't had to make hard decisions or build workarounds on my own Stage 3 because of this. I can see how it would be useful to have a fast tremolo sound slowly moving through the stereo field.

“Workaround” is the keyword in Nord Univers and, in my experience, it seems to be necessary again and again.

It should be emphasized that this workaround was hardly necessary on my previous keyboards/workstations from Yamaha and Korg, as these were much more flexible in various routing and other technical requirements.

Wolfgang T wrote: 05 Feb 2025, 19:47

analogika wrote: 05 Feb 2025, 17:15

Which is not to say I don't understand, or that I haven't had to make hard decisions or build workarounds on my own Stage 3 because of this. I can see how it would be useful to have a fast tremolo sound slowly moving through the stereo field.

“Workaround” is the keyword in Nord Univers and, in my experience, it seems to be necessary again and again.

It should be emphasized that this workaround was hardly necessary on my previous keyboards/workstations from Yamaha and Korg, as these were much more flexible in various routing and other technical requirements.

If you compare the Nord Stage with a workstation like Yamaha's Montage/Motif or Korg Kronos/Nautilus of course the latter are much more flexible, but as Analogika pointed out it is because they serve a different purpose and are designed for that, with many parameters requiring menu diving, while Nord Stage is aimed at the opposite i.e. simplicity and direct panel controls as much as possible (with the well known compromises).

If you instead compare NS with similar products, like Yamaha CP88/YC88 for example, you will find maybe more similarities (also in terms of limitations and compromises)

We discussed a few times on NUF that maybe Clavia could also issue a "Nord Workstation" but it doesn't seem to have ever been in their plans or vision (so far)

maxpiano wrote: 05 Feb 2025, 19:57
If you compare the Nord Stage with a workstation like Yamaha's Montage/Motif or Korg Kronos/Nautilus of course the latter are much more flexible, but as Analogika pointed out it is because they serve a different purpose and are designed for that, with many parameters requiring menu diving, while Nord Stage is aimed at the opposite i.e. simplicity and direct panel controls as much as possible (with the well known compromises).

If you instead compare NS with similar products, like Yamaha CP88/YC88 for example, you will find maybe more similarities (also in terms of limitations and compromises)

Of course we can't really compare the NS with other keyboards/workstations, but we can do this with the new Roland V STAGE, for example, and here CLAVIA NORD can learn quit a lot, especially in terms of connectivity, routing, effects and interface etc.

See the following videos:

PRESSING a Roland Employee on the New V-Stage! Feat ‪@EdDiazKeys‬ |Keys & Conversations Podcast EP. 2


This Game-Changing V-Stage Feature Will Blow Your Mind! Feat ‪@EdDiazKeys‬

Nords are performance boards first and foremost.

If I wanted the ultimate in flexibility and FX routing, many keyboard vendors do it much better on multiple fronts -- no argument. And the software instruments can go even further than the hardware vendors.

But it's all less than ideal for live work -- you don't get the immediacy of a Nord. It's like there's this obstacle course between you and the sound you want -- which might be acceptable in the studio, but sucks when you're in the middle of a hot set.

Wolfgang T wrote: 05 Feb 2025, 19:47

analogika wrote: 05 Feb 2025, 17:15

Which is not to say I don't understand, or that I haven't had to make hard decisions or build workarounds on my own Stage 3 because of this. I can see how it would be useful to have a fast tremolo sound slowly moving through the stereo field.

“Workaround” is the keyword in Nord Univers and, in my experience, it seems to be necessary again and again.

It should be emphasized that this workaround was hardly necessary on my previous keyboards/workstations from Yamaha and Korg, as these were much more flexible in various routing and other technical requirements.

And all of that requires reading the manual, weeding through menus and submenus on the display, and considerable time. I've had an SY77 for 35 years, and Motifs for 15, and I used a Kronos for a while a decade back (they haven't changed).

They have their strengths, and I love the '77 (the Motif is a preset machine for me, and I have a love/hate with the Kronos). But NONE of them let me get stuff done in thirty seconds, because everything has its own front-panel control.

Maybe a small final word to this feed:

Every keyboard has its strengths and weaknesses. The other workstations, which offer endless possibilities, also have their weaknesses.

Life is usually a compromise and this also applies to the keyboards we use every day.

As in life, we always have to make the best of it, even with limitations. If I hadn't done that, I wouldn't have many things and also my Nord Keyboard anymore.

I also appreciate the strengths of the Nord keyboards and have learned to love them.

(P.S. This feed was only posted because I might want to upgrade to an NS4 and have therefore looked more closely at the possibilities of an NS4)